Expeditionary Learning Education (EL Education) is used for universal instruction in all grades K-5.  EL Education builds word knowledge and world knowledge to support students’ ability to read complex grade-level texts and build knowledge using authentic texts. 

K-2 Instruction

In grades K-2, students participate in a word knowledge block of time to explicitly and systematically build foundational reading skills. They build background knowledge by reading complex texts.

3-5 Instruction

In grades 3-5, students participate in knowledge-building reading. The authentic, complex texts they read require application of foundational reading skills and build other literacy skills, including speaking, listening, vocabulary, and writing. They also participate in a block of time to continuously build advanced word study skills, refine their grammar, and read independently. 

Students in the School District of Rhinelander are assessed three times a year using the aimswebPlus for universal screening information. This screener system identifies students who may be at risk of not meeting end-of-year standards. The three windows take place during the following times:

• Beginning of the year (BOY) - September
• Middle of the year (MOY) - January
• End of the year (EOY) April-May

The information below shows the specific literacy assessment subtype administered during each assessment window.

• Beginning of the Year (BOY)
  • Kindergarten  - Initial Sounds (IS) ,Letter Word Sound Fluency (LWSF), Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Auditory Vocabular (AV)
  • Grade 1 - Phoneme Segmentation (PS), Letter Word Sound Fluency (LWSF), Auditory Vocabulary (AV), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
  • Grades  2 thru 5 - Vocabulary (VO), Reading Comprehension (RC), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
• Middle of the Year (MOY)
  • Kindergarten - Initial Sounds (IS) ,Letter Word Sound Fluency (LWSF), Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Auditory Vocabular (AV)
  • Grade 1 - Auditory Vocabulary (AV), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
  • Grades  2 thru 5 - Vocabulary (VO), Reading Comprehension (RC), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
• End of the Year (EOY)
  • Kindergarten - Initial Sounds (IS) ,Letter Word Sound Fluency (LWSF), Letter Naming Fluency (LNF), Auditory Vocabular (AV)
  • Grade 1 - Auditory Vocabulary (AV), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
  • Grades  2 thru 5 - Vocabulary (VO), Reading Comprehension (RC), Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)

A student demonstrates a risk of not meeting end-of-year benchmark standards by scoring below the 25th percentile. Additional diagnostic assessments are completed with the student to identify the specific literacy area needing intensified instruction. 

Students scoring below the 25th percentile will receive intervention support from a classroom teacher, reading teacher, reading interventionist, or special education case manager. This comes in addition to the Tier 1, universal instruction. A personal reading plan will communicate to families/caregivers the specific literacy skill that will be the instructional focus. Weekly progress monitoring towards the identified goal demonstrates student growth and is shared with families/caregivers at least every 10 weeks. Personal reading plans are monitored at the school and district level. When adequate growth is met in the personal reading plan, the student may exit the personal reading plan. If adequate growth is not met, the plan will be revised to support the student’s pathway to literacy proficiency. The district’s literacy curriculum is reviewed annually to identify trends in universal instruction and intervention efficacy.